TOI correspondent from Washington: For years, American commencement (convocation) speakers could safely rely on formulaic speeches involving inspirational cliches, autobiographical struggles, and exhortations to new graduates to “dream big” and not fear failure. In 2026, there’s a new guard rail: mention artificial intelligence at your own risk.
Across the United States this commencement season, graduation ceremony speakers invoking AI have been greeted not with polite applause but with boos and jeers. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was heckled at the University of Arizona after telling graduates they would help shape AI’s future – an argument that landed awkwardly among students staring into a difficult job market increasingly populated by automation, layoffs and hiring freezes.
